The present disclosure is directed to a screen which is useful for a golfer, and is useful to enable the golfer to practice driving. Practice for the play of golf requires very little area for putting, requires a larger area for certain irons but requires a very large area to practice with a driver. While professional golfers can drive the ball 300 yards or farther even those who play very little can drive the ball 200 or more yards thereby requiring a very large practice area. The area becomes greater taking into account errant balls hit to the right or left, thereby requiring both a long and wide area. A number of devices have been set forth heretofore to enable practice in a smaller or confined space. The present disclosure is such a device which enables driving practice to be conducted on premises. In other words, it is a device that can be put in the back yard to enable a golfer to practice without requiring a large surface area. The device of this disclosure is a device which can readily be attached to the garage or carport of a home owner. This enables the practice swing to be perfected. It does not require a large area measuring several acres where the golf ball may roll to the border or fence.
A typical driving range can cover several acres of mowed area. It is relatively expensive to use habitually, and is equally inconvenient to find one because of the large space required by a driving range. As set forth in a number of competitive devices, the equipment of this disclosure enables one to practice driving without requiring such a large area. It is particularly adapted for convenient installation and removal for storage. When removed, the device can be rolled into a small bundle. In an optimum version, it preferably hangs inside the doorway of a double car garage, i.e., a garage which has a single door for both sides. A smaller version can be made to hang where a single garage door is normally positioned. In the double car arrangement, the door is typically about 16 to 20' in width. The device of this disclosure is constructed so that it is formed of a canvas of relatively heavy construction which hangs in the door frame. A typical door frame of that sort is about 8' tall and about 18' wide. In the version described, the door frame of the garage is used as a support. This means that the device of this disclosure can be coiled or rolled and stored. That requires very little storage space. Moreover, a large supportive frame is not needed; rather, the garage will suffice.
With a view of using the overhang of a typical garage door, and especially the door frame which affords an opening of about 8'.times.18', the present disclosure is enhanced with an optional metal frame which leans forward to support the target area (described below) surrounded by a safety net. Going now to the frame, the frame from the front resembles an inverted U-shaped member. It is sized so that it stands perhaps 7' tall and has a width to fit within the garage door, i.e., about 14' to 17' in width. It is an inverted U-shaped member which joins by stabbing components together. This enables easy disassembly and storage. The frame is ideally a set of plastic or metal tubes in the range of about 1" to about 2" in diameter and they are formed of relatively thin wall stock. A set of hook and loop straps (sometimes known as Velcro.RTM.) is used to anchor the safety net. The safety net is located between the metal frame in this embodiment and the target (described below). The safety net surrounds it on both sides and at the top so that the entire arrangement provides enhanced safety. That embodiment will be detailed significantly below.
The golf practice screen of the present disclosure is a large expanse of relatively heavy cloth such as cotton or nylon mesh. It has the form of a large tarpaulin of porous mesh material and is ideally waterproof so that water damage does not occur. It is constructed with a heavy or beaded hem or border which is sewn with relatively heavy stitching and eyelets are located at selected locations to anchor the large canvas sheet. The canvas sheet of the present disclosure is especially adapted to be hung in the frame of a door. It is hung using elongate springs. Typically, they have a relaxed length of up to about three feet in length. While they can be made longer, that generally is not needed. They are preferably hung on a number of conveniently installed eyelets at the garage door frame so the canvas drape can be installed, used and then stored. Deployment for installation and subsequent removal, rolling and storage requires only a few minutes. This can be accomplished with the large sheet member of the present disclosure.
One embodiment hereof incorporating a safety net should be considered also. It is able to be assembled or disassembled quickly. It is formed with an external support frame which is joined by assembly of elongate tubular members formed of thin wall metal or plastic stock. The frame is sized so that it surrounds the mesh or canvas target. It is also protected with an encircling safety net. The safety net is included to stop unwanted rebounds from errant shots. While an experienced golfer may well not need the safety net, it is incorporated so that those who have less experience will have greater protection. More will be noted concerning this below.
The golf practice screen of the present disclosure contemplates an upstanding screen which is anchored inside the door frame of a garage door. This permits the user to step off a few paces. locate a mat which serves as the tee area, and practice driving. This enables practice without the risk of driving the golf ball at extremely high velocity against a hard surface which rebounds the ball back in the face of the user. That can be dangerous. The present disclosure sets forth a large target area which is hung somewhat tautly so that the rebound of the golf ball from the large target area is relatively soft or gentle. Indeed, the mesh target area can be marked with a painted or stenciled target as will be described so that the golfer knows where the drive should be hit, and the user is therefore able to drive golf balls repetitively into the target. Indeed, practice for a number of strokes is permitted because retrieval is not difficult. The large mesh sheet catches each drive, and returns it more or less toward the user at a slow velocity.
Mention should be made of the target material. The preferred form is an open mesh in which the openings are relatively small. Ideally, an open mesh material is preferably waterproofed with a coating. Coating with a soft vinyl dip on the mesh creates a surface which withstands substantial abrasion and impact. The impact is dissipated in the resilient vinyl material placed on the mesh. The mesh is made sufficiently small that there is no chance whatsoever that the golf ball will pass through the mesh. By using a mesh, easy flexure is accomplished at the time of impact.
Furthermore, the target area, while plain in one version, is marked with colors to set forth a specified target or scene. As described, the targets ideally should prompt the person practicing with the equipment to shoot at a specified region of the target area. Therefore, the target, exemplified by a bulls eye, is painted or otherwise put on the mesh or ducking that makes up the target area. Significant color contrasts can be accomplished by utilizing colored vinyl dip material which is placed on the mesh. The dip material serves the added purpose of absorbing abrasion and providing impact resistance. Also, it helps preserve the colors which are placed in the mesh.
In one aspect, the target can be formed of canvas ducking. A heavy duty cloth is used for this purpose. Again, even with heavy duty cloth, there is a tendency for the central area to wear as a result of the impact. This area is protected by incorporating a vinyl layer on it.
A safety net is optionally placed around the target in one version. The safety net comprises a marginal net of open mesh. So to speak, it is like fish net material. Again, the openings in the fishnet material are sufficiently small that the golf ball will not pass through the netting. Rather, the ball is snagged by the net material. The net material is positioned so that it presents an oblique or obtuse angle. It is deployed and supported by a U-shaped mounting frame. The safety net is ideally located on the left, top and right sides of the target area. Typically, the netting has a depth somewhere between about 20" and 48". The safety net attaches along the marginal edges to the target area. It also attaches along a supportive frame so that the safety net can hold up the target area. The target area is centered by the frame. The target area is also held behind the frame so that the safety net funnels errant shots back toward the target area. On striking the safety net first and then the target area, shots which are significantly off center can be confined with less risk.
Summarizing the present disclosure, it is a large mesh or canvas sheet which preferably hangs in the open door frame of a garage door constructed to the dimensions of about 8.times.18'. While the dimensions can be varied, it is optimum to position this large target mesh hanging in that area so that each drive off the tee area is directed against the canvas target. On striking the mesh or canvas target, the energy is dissipated and the ball is dropped without significant rebound. The sheet is provided with excessive height; the lower marginal edge is laid out in front of the upstanding canvas mesh or sheet. This positions the lower edge so that golf balls, after striking the target sheet, trickle down the front of the sheet and are returned when deflected back to the user.
Continuing with the present summary, an alternate embodiment is set forth which incorporates an upstanding U-shaped frame. The frame connects by means of releasable Velcro.RTM. straps to a safety net which in turn connects with the target area. The preferred target area remains a fairly heavy sheet of canvas or mesh material having a fairly durable construction which is typically made of heavy duty mesh provided with a sheet of vinyl protective layer on the outside.